Maturity
by DragonRidingSorceress
Summary: Just before AotC. Anakin chooses to act on his dreams about his mother... but not in the way you might guess. Now with chapters!
1. Chapter 1

Title:

Summary: Just before AotC. Anakin chooses to act on his dreams about his mother... but not in the way you might guess.

Chapter 1

Anakin woke gasping and lathered in sweat. The Force was writhing with disquiet carried over from his dream. His every sense was screaming at him.

_Mom's in danger!_

He rolled out of bed and padded out onto the balcony, sending a quick probe into the Force to see if Obi-Wan was still asleep.

By some miracle, he was.

Anakin heaved a sigh as the cool night air washed over his bare torso. Planting his legs apart, he stood steadily and gazed at the lights of Coruscant.

This was the third night he'd had the same dream. _Mom is in danger. _He knew it was a message from the Force, and he would have to act on it before the dream would cease plaguing him.

But what could he do? The Council would never let him go; Jedi weren't supposed to have attachments.

Anakin felt a stab of bitterness. If any other Jedi had a dream that someone was in danger, the Council would send them to help. It would be considered the will of the Force, the dream a signal...

But the bitterness lessened as an idea struck him. _That just might work..._

Turning back into the apartment, Anakin headed towards the holoterminal.

* * *

"Padawan Skywalker." Mace Windu's voice was even and measured – and gave away none of the curiosity he was feeling. "You requested an audience with the Council."

_When he had re-entered the apartment the night before, Anakin had sent a message to the Council Chamber. An automated response had told him to be at the Chamber door at dawn._

_He hadn't woken Obi-Wan. '_I can do this myself.'

Anakin bowed. "Yes, Masters." He could feel his stomach fluttering with nervousness. He was surrounded by twelve preeminent Masters of the Jedi Order, all of them experts in the ways of the Force, each of them renowned for their perfect 'Jedi calm'.

But today, the merest echoes of curiosity resonated off each one in the Force.

And it wasn't helping Anakin to calm down in the slightest.

He straightened and fixed his eyes on the ground in front of Master Yoda's chair. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak. "Masters, for the past few nights, I have been having dreams."

There was no sound. Anakin could feel all twelve sets of eyes on him. He felt a little foolish, and wished he'd thought to phrase it better. But it was said, and now he could only continue. "Actually, it's the same dream every night." He hesitated before continuing. "They're about my mother." He glanced up at Yoda and Windu, expecting to see disapproval on both their faces. But there was only the blank facade of Jedi calm.

Anakin wasn't sure which he would have preferred.

He closed his eyes before he spoke again. "Masters, she's in pain, in danger, I know it!" The desperation in his voice rang through the chamber.

"And you wish to go to her?" Windu asked. There was the disapproval Anakin had been expecting, plain in the Master's voice.

With a sigh, Anakin bowed his head and gazed once more at the floor. "No, Master."

The ripple of shock that whipped around the chamber was more obvious this time – but it was undercut once more with disapproval. Anakin sensed it, and knew what it signified. He sighed again, resignedly.

"Well, yes, Master. More than anything, I want to go to her." He looked up, and this time met Windu's gaze. The dark-skinned Master found himself taken-aback by the pain in Anakin's eyes. "But I know it won't be permitted."

Once more, a ripple of surprise circled the room. Skywalker was not raging against the Code, not lashing out in rebellion. He was clearly unhappy with the situation, but he had accepted the way things must be. Was he maturing?

Anakin let his eyes fall to the floor again. "Masters, I'd like to request that you send someone to Tatooine." He didn't dare look up. He had to get his request out, before he lost his nerve. "The dreams won't stop until I know something is being done about them. But if I know there is a Knight going to check on Mom, they should stop." Finally, he looked up, finishing in a rush. "I'll give them all the help they need – information about Tatooine, about Mom and Watto, about the dreams – everything I can give them. Just, please, act on this!"

The Force swirled around Anakin, emphasizing the desperation he was already revealing in his voice, his eyes, his posture.

For a few seconds, there was silence. Anakin closed his eyes once more. He felt like he had run a marathon. He took in a deep, shuddering breath. He had said his piece; it was out of his control now...

"Discuss this we must, Padawan Skywalker." Yoda spoke softly, as if wary of startling the young Jedi. "Await our decision outside you will."

Anakin nodded. "Yes, Master." He bowed once more. "Thank you for your time, Masters." The words and actions came automatically – they were expected of a Jedi. Then Anakin turned and fled.

* * *

Obi-Wan stared at the figure crumpled against the wall opposite the door to the Council Chamber.

He had awoken that morning to find a hastily scribbled note:

_Gone to Council Chamber. A._

Now, here he found his Padawan. He had drawn his knees up to his chest, and buried his face in them. His arms were wrapped around his knees. His whole body shook with silent sobs. It was a pitiful image.

Obi-Wan moved slowly forward until he reached Anakin. Then he knelt in front of him. "Anakin?" he asked gently, reaching out to clasp one of the boy's shaking hands. Anakin looked up, startled, eyes wide and red-rimmed. "What happened? What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked, deeply worried.

Anakin closed his eyes and explained, about his dreams and about his plea to the Council. Obi-Wan could sense the tension in his apprentice as he spoke. But he couldn't fathom why... why Anakin couldn't have told _him_...

"Anakin, I didn't know you having dreams." He spoke very softly, trying to sooth his padawan, his son. "You should have told me," he reproved gently. He couldn't help feeling a little hurt. Didn't Anakin trust him?

Anakin only nodded. "I know, Master. But I didn't... I didn't want you to think I couldn't handle it."

Obi-Wan, still holding Anakin's hand, shook his head gently. "There's nothing wrong with sharing your problems, Anakin. And asking for help won't make you seem weak." He gave his still-shaky apprentice a serious look. "Anakin, you know that you can always talk to me, don't you? About anything?" He moved his hands to Anakin's shoulders. "I would do anything for you, Anakin," he pledged.

Anakin smiled. It was tentative, but it was still a smile. "I know, Master. Thank-you."

Obi-Wan returned the smile. Anakin's words were genuine. He pulled the boy into a hug, sensing that that was what Anakin needed. True enough, he felt the tension leave him.

Pulling back, he looked at Anakin. Of particular concern to him were the red-rimmed blue eyes. "You just asked the Council to send someone to your mother," he prompted. Anakin nodded, unsure of what his Master was getting at. "Why were you crying?" Obi-Wan asked softly.

After a moment's confusion, Anakin understood what Obi-Wan was really asking. Why was he crying, when he had begun to put a plan in motion, when something would soon be happening? He shook his head. "I don't know if I've done the right thing," he told Obi-Wan quietly.

Obi-Wan nodded. For a short time, the two just sat together, Anakin taking comfort from Obi-Wan's presence. Eventually, Anakin took a shuddering breath. "Master," he began quietly, "could we meditate?"

Obi-Wan smiled at his Padawan. "Of course, Anakin." Together, they shifted into positions of meditation, and settled into the Force.

* * *

As the doors to the Council Chamber reopened, Anakin steeled himself. Obi-Wan had agreed to remain outside, at Anakin's request. He wanted to do this himself, and Obi-Wan respected that.

Anakin strode to the centre of the room. He bowed to the Council, then waited patiently for one of them to speak. His patience was silently marked.

Yoda was the one to speak. "Decided we have, a Knight and Padawan team to send."

Anakin's eyes widened with surprise and delight, but he did not speak. He sensed that it was not yet his turn.

Yoda gave the slightest nod, as if applauding Anakin's decision. "Join us now, the selected Knight will," he continued.

The door swung open once more, and in strode –

Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Anakin's jaw dropped. He spun to face Yoda. There was a definite twinkle in the diminutive Master's eyes, though his face was expressionless.

Windu then spoke. "Your transport leaves at noon. Knight Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker will brief you on your mission."

Anakin bowed deeply. "Thank you, Masters!" he said jubilantly.

"Dismissed, you are," Yoda informed the pair. "Prepare you must."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Only a short one this time, sorry. But there is an OT cameo! Of a sort...

* * *

"In the dreams, she's in pain, and she's crying out for me…" Anakin's voice trailed off as he took in Obi-Wan's dubious expression. He sighed. "I know it doesn't sound like much… but I wake feeling anxious, needing to do something, _anything_, to help her…"

Obi-Wan seemed to feel obligated to preach. "Prophetic dreams are rare, and may not mean exactly what you think they do…"

Anakin opened his mouth to object. The Council had believed him! Obi-Wan himself had seemed to, as well, when they spoke outside the Council Chambers. But Obi-Wan's face betrayed a hint of a smile, and the words died on Anakin's lips. He stared at his master.

Realising he was caught, Obi-Wan chuckled. "Relax, Anakin. I believe you." He rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I'm impressed by the maturity you're showing, Anakin."

The praise made Anakin smile.

* * *

Of course, Anakin had wanted to take the fastest, shiniest ship in the Temple Hangar. Obi-Wan just shook his head, and told Anakin to use his, too.

"We want something older; not something that will stand out on Tatooine. Not everyone is friendly towards the Jedi, as you well know."

Anakin huffed a little, staring wistfully at the elegant, gleaming ship. "Says you. You landed in a shiny new J-class Nubian!"

After looking at some of the other ships, they settled on something suitable: the _Stellar Envoy_. It was a rather patched-looking YT-1300 freighter, heavily modified. Particularly the hyperdrive. Anakin had noted this last point with a glee that made Obi-Wan's stomach churn.

But there was no real objection he could raise. Anakin had declared it fly-able; Temple engineers had declared it space-worthy. It was bigger than the two of them needed; but it would fit in perfectly on Tatooine, a world frequented by spice smugglers and slave dealers.

"But we'll need to give it a different name," Anakin insisted. "No smuggling ship would be called _Stellar Envoy_!"

He then dubbed it _Star Bat_, for reasons unexplained to Obi-Wan.

* * *

Next chapter, our heroes will be on Tatooine.


	3. Chapter 3

MOS ESPA

Mos Espa was exactly as Anakin remembered it – dull, brown and covered in disgustingly coarse sand.

He made his way quickly through the dusty streets to Watto's shop. Obi-Wan was amused to find himself feeling like a Padawan as he followed. He was less amused to realise that Anakin was as tall as he was. It seemed his apprentice was growing up faster than he had realised.

Watto had been doing well, it seemed – the shop had been expanded in the years since Anakin's departure. "Achuta, Watto," Anakin called out as he stepped into the cool interior of the shop. Obi-Wan moved further into the shop, apparently browsing the parts, but actually just giving Anakin the space to act on his own.

"Chowbasa," responded the little alien as he came fluttering out from behind the counter. "Have we met before?"

Anakin gave a humourless smile, but no direct answer. "I'm looking for Shmi Skywalker."

Something changed in Watto's manner. Obi-Wan felt the Force flicker with a warning – not of danger, but to be wary. Obi-Wan straightened from his examination of a droid arm and turned, making his way back to Anakin's side.

"Who's asking?"

Anakin tilted his head a little. "You really don't recognise me, Watto?" The note of derision that had crept into his tone was not appropriate for a Jedi, as Obi-Wan's raised eyebrow reminded him. Anakin took a deep breath, reminding himself that Watto had not been a bad master, as slave owners went. "I want to see my mother, Watto."

There. That had been calm and collected. There was almost no hint of the frustration bubbling up inside him.

It was the sand. All the sand was bringing the memory of his dreams to the fore. He could almost hear Shmi's voice calling for him again.

The sight of recognition dawning on Watto's blue face would have been amusing under any other circumstance. "Ani? Little Ani?" The Toydarian flew in a circle around the young Jedi, marvelling at his growth. "Ya sure sprouted! Weehoo! And a Jedi!" Finally, he looked at Obi-Wan. "So that makes you...?"

"His teacher," Obi-Wan acknowledged, allowing himself a small, proud smile.

Anakin had no time for polite conversation. Now that he was so close, he could feel the dream pulling him out toward the desert. "My mother?" he asked again, a growl creeping in to his voice. He felt Obi-Wan's hand rest lightly on his shoulder, and reached for the Force to give him patience.

Watto was fluttering backwards towards the counter. "Shmi's not mine no more. I sold her."

Obi-Wan squeezed Anakin's shoulder briefly when he felt a tremor of anger and fear breach his Padawan's shields. "To whom did you sell her?" he asked, stepping forward, to give the younger Jedi time to compose himself.

"A moisture farmer named Lars. Least, I think it was Lars." The Toydarian was reaching for a book from a shelf high on the shop's back wall. "Years ago, it was.

Anakin looked truly furious. Watto found himself taken aback by it when he fluttered down to eye level again. "Sorry, Ani, but you know, business is business. Believe it or not, I heard Lars freed her and married her. Can ya beat that?"

'_Release your emotions into the Force.' _Anakin couldn't tell if it was Obi-Wan, speaking to him through their bond, or if he had just heard the phrase so many times his brain could only repeat it in Obi-Wan's voice. Either way, it was sound advice. He closed his eyes, letting the Force wash over him. Vaguely, he could hear Obi-Wan and Watto still talking.

He opened his eyes again, feeling much calmer, when Obi-Wan nudged him through their bond. "Would you mind repeating those directions again?" his master asked, and the Toydarian nodded obligingly.

* * *

LARS' MOISTURE FARM, OUTSIDE MOS EISLEY

There was no movement in the homestead as Anakin and Obi-Wan approached. The stillness was almost unsettling.

"Hello?" Obi-Wan called out, sensing the tension in Anakin. Something was clearly wrong, but the Force wasn't warning of danger here.

A young, sandy-haired woman came hurtling out of the house, looking eager and hopeful, and shouting "Owen?" She froze when she realised the visitors were not who she was expecting. "Oh. Um. Hello. I'm Beru Whitesun. Are you looking for Cliegg Lars?"

"I'm looking for Shmi Skywalker. She is my mother."

Beru's jaw dropped, and for a moment she just stared at the Jedi, before seeming to shake herself. "You're Anakin. Oh, poodoo!" She cast around, as though hoping someone else would appear. "You – you'd better come inside. I'll try to get them on the comm."

Soon they were seated at a kitchen table, watching with varying degrees of calmness as Beru fiddled with a transmitter. "Owen? Owen, can you hear me? It's Beru. Anakin is here. I don't know how, but he's here..."

It would take a few hours for Owen to return. It took much less time for Obi-Wan, with quiet words and much patience as they all sat around the table, to convince Beru to explain. Anakin sat, hands clenched, glaring down at the table top as the story unfolded. He was a child of the desert. He knew the stories as well as anyone. _Be a good little child and do as you're told, or the Sand People will come for you... You're lucky if they kill you quickly. If you survive the first day, you'll wish you hadn't. If you survive the first day, you won't survive the week._

His mother had been taken three days ago, and still no one had found her.

"I'm going to find her," Anakin announced, leaping to his feet. In his haste, he knocked his chair backwards. It landed with a crash, making Beru jump and cry out.

"No."

Obi-Wan stood more slowly, and calmly met Anakin's blue eyes.

"Master, you don't understand!" There was anguish and fear in his pupil's voice, but no anger. "They won't just kill her – that would be a mercy! They're monsters! They're torturing her, right now!"

"Calm, Padawan. _We_ will go to find her. Together."

And of course Anakin looked shocked. He still wasn't good at thinking ahead, planning and coordinating with others. The boy was such a hero – Obi-Wan would have to train that out of him if he were to survive past thirty.

"First you must calm yourself, Padawan. How will you be able to hear the Force over the sound of your fear?"

Obi-Wan was surprised to see tears in Anakin's eyes for the second time in as many days. "I love her, Master. How can I be calm when she's in danger?"

There was the core of Anakin's personality, laid out for all to see – to those he loved, he gave himself completely. He would do all he could to protect them, but panic short-circuited his brain and made him hasty.

"Open yourself to the Force, Anakin. Sit." A gesture returned Anakin's chair to its upright position once more, but his Padawan remained standing. "Meditate. I know you don't think you can," Obi-Wan raised a hand to forestall the protestations of disbelief that were written all over Anakin's expression. "Trust me."

Beru watched in astonishment as her future brother-in-law sank into his chair, breathed a resigned sigh, and closed his eyes. After a few seconds of unabashed staring, she turned and found herself caught by the older Jedi's crystal blue eyes. She felt her cheeks flushing, although she wasn't sure why. "Master Kenobi?" She was absurdly proud of herself for not stammering.

"You said that the search party has taken all the speeders in the area, is that correct?"

Beru nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Then we must wait for someone to return. Yes, Anakin?"

The blond nodded, though he kept his eyes closed. "Yes, Master," he said tonelessly.

Obi-Wan turned back to Beru with a kind smile. "Don't let us keep you from your duties, Miss Beru. We can remain here and prepare."

She nodded and rose awkwardly to her feet. "Yes. Um. Alright. I'll go..." It took her a moment to remember what she'd been doing before the Jedi had arrived. "Clean. Yes, that was it." Then she hurried away, casting an uncertain glance over her shoulder. It didn't occur to her to wonder at how smoothly she had been dismissed in a place she thought of almost as home.

Once Beru was gone, Obi-Wan moved to stand behind Anakin, resting his hands on the younger man's shoulders. Closing his eyes, he opened himself to the Force.

Anakin always shone in the Force, though his anxiety for his mother seemed to have dimmed his brightness.

'_Can you hear me, Padawan?'_

'_Yes, Master.'_

His mental voice certainly sounded calmer, which was a step in the right direction.

'_Good. Do you sense your mother?'_

'_Of course.' _Anakin shared his mother's Force signature, and suddenly Obi-Wan was aware of it everywhere. The kitchen in which they sat was clearly Shmi's domain, as the Force here resonated with her echo – at least to her son's senses.

'_Reach beyond these walls. Find the path she took.'_

Anakin's mental probes stretched out in all directions. Obi-Wan felt a pang in his chest and quickly shielded his wish that Qui-Gon could be there. Thoughts of his Master had grown less painful over the last ten years, but sadness would still strike him at odd moments. Master Qui-Gon Jinn, disciple of the Living Force, would have known exactly how to teach this search technique to Anakin.

Fortunately, desperation was a good motivator. _'Master, I've found her!'_


End file.
